Hoffmann



Jan. 24, 1956 A. HOFFMANN LINT FILTER FOR CLOTHES DRYERS Filed Nov. 20, 1953 Albert Hoffmann IN VEN TOR. @6 3 BY was United States Patent LINr rmrnn non crornns nnrnns Albert Hoifmann, Powell, Wym, assigncr of forty-four per cent to Walter Zimmerman, three and one-third per cent to E. 1 Engebretson, three and one-third per centto Gordon V. Cox, and three and one-third per cent to William R. Pearce, all of Bismarck, N. Dalr.

Application November 20, 1953, Serial No. 393,326

1 Claim. (Cl. 183-43) This invention relates to a lint filter for clothes dryers and specifically provides a device for attachment to the air discharge of a clothes dryer for filtering the lint from the discharge air of the clothes dryer.

An object of this invention is to provide a lint filter for clothes dryers wherein the device includes a right angular tubular duct having one end positioned in the discharge opening in the cabinet of a clothes dryer and having a flexible porous filter bag secured to the other end thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a lint filter for clothes dryers to efliciently and effectively protect the lint from being discharged into a room and also to evenly distribute any moisture in the discharge air.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a lint filter for clothes dryers which is simple in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to replace the filter bag and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the lint filter of this invention secured to the cabinet of a clothes dryer;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tubular duct showing the projecting tabs which fit into the opening into the cabinet of the clothes dryer; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section taken substantially along section line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction and method of attachment of the lint filter of this invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 10 designates the lint filter of this invention for attachment to a clothes dryer cabinet 12 having an opening 14 therein through which air is dis charged after it has been circulated through the clothes for drying the same. This discharge opening 14 is ordinarily connected to a duct leading to the atmosphere through the wall of a building or the like. In some instances, it is impossible to communicate this opening with the atmosphere, such as in rented apartments or houses. The lint filter of this invention includes a generally vertically disposed rectangular member 16 having four vertical side walls, a sloping upper wall 18 and an open bottom wall, as indicated by the numeral 20. The rear vertical wall of the rectangular member 16 is provided with an opening 22 having an outwardly projecting flange therearound defined by projecting tabs 24 which are received in the opening 14. The tabs 24 are formed by notching a projecting flange of the rear wall and these tabs 24 resiliently engage the inner periphery of the opening 14. The inwardly extending flange on the opening 14 provides adequate bearing surface for retaining the rectangular member 16 on the cabinet 12. The open bottom wall is provided with a peripheral rib 26 which is formed by reversely bending the bottom edge of the side walls. A flexible and porous filter bag 28, having an open mouth 36 is positioned over the bottom end of the rectangular member 16 and a drawstring 32 is provided for securing the mouth portion 311 of the bag 28 to the open bottom 29. It will be seen that the drawstring 32 is disposed above the peripheral rib 26 thereby assuring that the bag 28 will remain on the rectangular member 16 when pressurized air is discharged through the filter 19.

From the foregoing construction, the operation of the device will be fully understood. The rectangular duct 16 is positioned on the cabinet 12 by inserting the tabs 24 into the opening 14 and the flexible porous filter bag 28 is secured to the open end 20 of the rectangular member 16 by obvious manipulation of the drawstring 32. The lint filter 1ft is then in position to filter any lint which may be discharged from the opening 14 along with the usual air discharged from the clothes dryer. The bag 28 will also absorb any excess moisture discharged through the opening 14- and evenly distribute this moisture into the room air. This device is especially useful in rented apartments or houses where the landlord will not permit the tenant to make an opening into the outside atmosphere through a side Wall of the building or in various places, such as basements, wherein the expense of transmitting the air to the outside atmosphere would be prohibitive. Obviously, the bag 28 may be removed and cleaned and replaced when necessary, and both the bag 28 and the rectangular member 16 may be made of any suitable and readily obtainable material.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A lint filter of the class described comprising a vertically elongated tubular metal duct having a flat rear wall formed with an opening in its upper portion, a rearwardly projecting attaching flange in the region of the opening, said duct having a tapering lower end provided with an opening in the bottom thereof and formed with an external peripheral rib, and a filter bag having a mouth portion in which the tapered lower end of the duct is received, said bag having a drawstring in the region of the mouth of the bag and positioned above the rib for securing the bag to the duct.

References tCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,404 Noguchi May 9, 1916 1,616,132 La Fountain Feb. 1, 1927 1,694,089 Wright Dec. 4, 1928 1,844,728 Weber Feb. 9, 1932 2,164,833 Norman July 4, 1939 2,403,416 Vandegrifl July 2, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 679,572 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1952 

